4 Tips to Start your Journey of Change
For some the decision to make a healthy change comes naturally and quite quickly. But for others like myself it took a LONG process to make the change to a more pure life (Healthy food, Happy Mind & Healthy Body).
I was like many other twenty something ladies who go along in life worrying more about calorie consumption than the 'substance' I was putting into my body. I realize now (whilst sipping on my Green Juice) it is all about quality not quantity! I hope to spread inspiration and help others who are in a place where I was at a few years ago.
Here are my top four tips to getting started and making a change to a pure life:
1. Make a commitment to start.
You may have been thinking about it for weeks, months or even years but now is the time to make a commitment. Write down your goals somewhere where you will see it constantly (for me this is my planner) or make your goal accountable by telling someone close to you what your intentions are.
Your goals can be short term or long term but try and follow the SMART approach (Specific-Measurable-Attainable-Realistic-Timely).
2. Learn, Learn, Learn.
This step will be different for everyone and can include articles, books, blogs, documentaries, Ted Talks videos, movies, seminars or conversing with others knowledgeable on the topic you want to learn.For me the documentary Food Inc was what changed it all for me. It opened my eyes to a world I HAD to know more about. This documentary really shocked me and from there I started learning more about organic/sustainable food, eating for health, juicing, yoga, meditation and spirituality.
I recommend these for a jolt of motivation:
Food Inc- Documentary
Hungry for Change- Documentary
Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead- Documentary and fellow AUSSIE :)
Spirit Junkie- Book by Gabrielle Bernstein
A Stroke of Insight- Ted Talks
3. Swap this for that.
For some people the 'jump all in' approach is best, if that is not the case for you then I suggest this approach. Making healthier swaps makes the change not seem as drastic. I always used to ask myself the question, is there a better alternative?
Swapping this for that all depends on what area you are looking at changing. For me it was the food I was ingesting and my mental/spiritual state.
Food Swaps- Dairy milk chocolate to raw organic dark chocolate, Non organic to Organic produce, pasta for quinoa, iceberg lettuce for kale/spinach, soft drink for water or better yet cold pressed juice (just to name a few).
Spiritual goodness- Swap negative thoughts for gratitude. Sounds simple but sometimes in the midst of a stressful 9 to 5 job and fighting traffic for two hours each day it can be a challenge. Each day say three things you are grateful for, one thing you are proud of and one goal you have. I believe it is so important to be grateful but also to recognize your achievements no matter how big or small they are.
4. Find others who share your passion.
We are so lucky to have the Internet so easily available, where with one touch we can connect with communities of like-minded people. Find others who share your passion and this will make it so much easier to stay on the right path. When you share your passion with others, you are consciously recognizing/affirming the path you are on. This could be through a Facebook page, sites like MindBodyGreen, blogs, community groups or people who are truly interested in your changes. This was the whole reason I started my Facebook Page- to share my passion with anyone who wants to hear it :)
"Surround yourself with people that are only going to lift you higher". Oprah Winfrey
Most importantly, Recognize that the change you are embarking on is an accomplishment in itself and that with any accomplishment there will challenges to overcome. Keep at it because any change is better than none at all.
"Be the change you want to see in the world". Mahatma Gandhi
